Textile spool



Jan. 13, 1953 R. L, FOOTE TEXTILE SPOOL 2 SHEETS SHEET 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1949 R O T N E V m P/CHA RD L. F 00 TE ATTORNEYS Jan. 13, 953 R. FOOTE I 2,625,343

TEXTILE SPOOL v Filed Dec. 2, 1949 r 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 R/CHARD L. FOOTE f q' 5 BY ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 13, 1953 TEXTILE SPOOL Richard L. Foote, Greensboro, N. (3., assignor to Engineered Plastics, Incorporated, Gibsonville, N. 0., a corporation of Delaware Application December 2, 1949, Serial N 0. 130,751

This invention relates generally to improved flanged spools and has particular relation to spools specially adapted for use in the textile industry. It has long been a problem to construct a textile spool with end structure, which will not be affected by extreme axial pressures and this old problem has been accentuated by the advent of synthetic yarns with a so-called plastic memory. At various steps in the manufacture of these plastic yarns, it is desirable, if not necessar'y, to wind the yarns under high tension on storage and processing spools. As the wound stretched yarn tends to contract to its normal shape, itexerts an enormous pressure tending to crush the spool barrel and simultaneously through semi-fluid action of the wound yarn, components of the contracting pressure result in a tremendous force exerted laterally or axially against the end flanges of the spool, which force often loosens the end flanges, and sometimes completely snaps them off. Both the loss in broken spools and tangled yarn have demanded a textile spool having end structures capable of withstanding extreme axial pressures to which they are exposed continually in modern textile plants.

While the prior art shows many and varied means for retaining and structures on textile spools and the like, no single simple device has been developed prior to the present invention, which will continually withstand extreme axial pressures often experienced in modern textile practices.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a textile spool having end flanges which are held in positive fixed position at each end of the spool barrel by retaining members locked in mated grooves of the barreland end plugs, by axially inserted locking members which may also serve to connect the end flanges firmly to the end plugs so that extreme axial pressures will not dislodge the end flanges.

It is another object of this invention to provide a flanged spool in which the right angle intersection between the flange and the barrel will be and will remain tight regardless of axial stresses against the heads and regardless of the deflection of the flanges, within the elastic range of the flange material. I

It is a further object of this invention to prcvide a flanged spool which canbe easily disassembled for purposes of replacing damaged flange or barrel components or altering the flanges or barrel in terms of either their physical dimen- .Sions or their materials of construction.

17 Claims. ((31. 242-124) It is a, still further object of this invention to provide a means'of solidly fastening end plugs in a tubular barrel spool of relatively thin wall thickness and by a purely mechanical assembly.

It is still further an object of this invention to provide a means of solidly fastening end plugs in a tubular barrel of relatively thin wall thickness by a purely mechanical assembly in such a fashion that the assembly may be di's-assembled and i e-assembled readily, easily and repeatedly.

These and other objects of the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.

Generally, the present invention comprises a spool for textiles and the like comprising a barrel, an end plug adapted to lit in said'barreLan internal groove in said barrel, an external groove in said plug adapted to mate with said barrel groove, a retaining member positioned in said matin grooves, and an axially inserted locking member positioned in abutment with said retaining member and locking said retaining member in said mating grooves whereby said plug is held against axial movement along said barrel. In one form, the invention comprises a spool for textiles and the like comprising a barrel, an end plug adapted to fit in said barrel, an end flange adapted to lit at an end of'said barrel, an internal groove in said barrel, an external groove in said plug adapted to mate with said barrel groove, a retaining member positioned in said mating grooves, and an axially inserted locking member mounted in said flange and positioned in abutment with said retaining member and looking said retaining member in said mating grooves whereby said plug is held against axial movement along said barrel. .More particularly, the invention-is directed to a spool for textiles and the like comprising a barrel, an-end plug adapted to fit in said barrel, an endflange adapted to lit at an end of said barrel a shallow internal annular groove in said barrel, a deep external annular groove in said plug adapted to mate with said barrel groove, a retaining ring segment positioned in said mating grooves, and axially inserted looking members mounted in said flange and in said plug in abutment with said retaining ring segment and locking said segment in said mated grooves whereby said plug is. held against axial movement along said barrel. r s s ,s 7

In a preferred embodimentnof theinvention a parted ring or twov or more segments of rings are permanently andsolidly locked in position be-. tween an annular groove inside the spool barrel and a groove in the end plugsby means of inserted, locking fastenin'gs, such as rods or screws,

which are driven in such a position as to interfere with the inner peripheral surface of the ring, or ring segments, after the ring, or ring segments, and plug are inserted in the barrel, thus holding the ring or ring segments firmly seated against the annular groove in the barrel. This inserted fastening being solidly confined in a radial direction between the plug material and the ring, or ring segments, prevents the ring, or ring segments, from receding inwardly into the groove in the plug and thus solidly retains the plug in a single, predetermined position in the barrel.

It will be noted that a particular feature of a preferred embodiment; includes employing the same fastenings which serve to hold the ring, or ring segments, solidly in position, as retaining means for the flange. It will also be apparent that the flange can be fastened by separate means such as, for example, additional fastening holes intermediate the holes used to receive the fastenings which look the ring, or ring segments, in place.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred form of the invention with one end of the spool barrel broken away;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of one end of a spool barrel, showing the end plug and retaining ring inserted in the barrel;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and showing the locking members or screws urging the retaining rin into locked position; and

Figs. 5 and 6 show alternate retaining ring structures.

In the drawings, reference character it! indicates a light metallic spool barrel, preferably aluminum, the surface of which may be covered with some other material, such as a laminated phenolic, for desirable surface qualities. The barrel I 6 preferably has an inner aluminum tubular member H and an outer laminated phenolic tubular member i3. End flan es l2. as of sheets of laminated phenolic, vulcanized fibre, metal or other suitable material. are adapted to be fastened to each end of barrel Hi to form the spool.

To effect the end fastenings. this preferred embodiment of the invent on utilizes a spring steel broken ring it which in its normal position has an outside diameter slightly less than or substantially equal to the inside diameter of barrel [9, and a cylindrical end plug 16, as of modified phenolic plastic, having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of barrel l0. Plug 16 may have an aperture with a bushing I! inserted as shown, for spindle contact. A similar aperture [9 is provided in end flange i2, which may also be provided with driving slots in instances where such method of drive is required.

An annular internal barrel groove l8, spaced apart from each end of barrel l0 and having a depth of approximately one-half or less than onehalf the diameter of ring M, is also spaced so that it mates with an exterior annular groove 20 in each plug l6 when the end of plug it is flush with an end of barrel it. The groove 20 is deep enough to contain the entire ring 14 and may be located centrally of plug It or at any point along plug 16 that is convenient in a specific assembly. Bevel-pointed screws 22 pass through holes 24 in each end flange i2 and screw into holes 26 in each plug l6, preferably to serve in a dual capacity as connecting members uniting end flanges 12 to end plugs l5 and also serving as looking members forcing holding ring H1 in operative position in mated grooves l8 and 20, as is more fully explained hereinafter.

In the assembly, ring I4 is first placed in the deep groove 20 of plug [3 so that it will clear the walls of barrel H! as the plug is inserted. In the embodiment shown, the spring steel broken ring l4 normally lies retracted in the sheath of plug groove 2:]. End plug I6 is then inserted in an end of barrel Hi to the position shown in Fig. 3. Axial holes 26 in plug [6, defining the path of screws 22, intersect groove 28 so that the internal periphery of retaining ring M now lies partially in the path of the bevel pointed screws 22. Screws 22 are now passed through screw holes 24 in end flange i2 and started into holes 26 in plug I6. Although holes 26 may be internally screwthreaded, in a preferred form of the invention, the screw bites into the plastic plug forming its own threading and thereby making a self-locking assembly. Conventional self-tapping screws are particularly adapted to this type of assembly. As the beveled points of screws 22 are driven past ring Hi, they cam it radially into position against the interior annular groove 18 of barrel I0 and then look the retaining ring firmly in the mated grooves i8 and 20 as shown in Fig. 4. With the screw heads seated in holes 24 of end flanges Hi, the flange is thereby securely fastened in position.

The device may be readily dis-assembled by removing screws 22 whereby the end flange is removed and, with the retraction of the locking screw, retaining spring M returns to its normal shape, positioning itself within the sheath of deep plug groove 20 so that it offers no resistance to withdrawal of the end plug.

A modification of the invention which is useful where dis-assembly is unnecessary, differs only in the normal diameter of the retaining ring 14 which in this form is made of spring steel and having a normal outside diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the internal annular groove 25 of plug l6 as it is inserted in the end of barrel Hi. When the grooves l8 and 2B are in mating alignment, the retaining ring M will snap into locked position. Therefore since locking screws 22 merely hold the ring in locked position and no cam action is required, any suitable looking member may be utilized.

Another modification of each of the above embodiments of the invention is the use of a plurality of ring segments in place of a single broken ring or C-shaped member. A two segment or a split-0 ring retaining member is preferred in order to utilize spring positioning of the ring segments. No claim is made as to the specific dimensions of the retaining ring segments as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The ring or ring segments may be of material other than spring steel and may have any suitable geometric cross section. In the drawings, rings of circular cross section are used. In some applications of this invention, such rings are preferred but, in other applications rings, or ring segments, are preferred which have any desired geometric cross-section or compound geometric cross-sections as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Likewise it is within the scope of this invention to provide separate groove seats for individual retaining segments in either the spool barrel or the end plugs or both as may be desired for specific applications of the invention. The grooves may be circular, as shown, or in any other desired pattern such as will be'obviou's -to those skilled iii-the art; howevemthe shape of the retaining member must be altered to-comply with such changes in groove construction. H

' A' wide variety of types of fa'steningssuchas will be obvious to one sliilled in the-art may be used for locking the'ringor ring 'se'gmentsxsolidly in position inthe barrelx A threaded fastening such asa screw is-exemplary-thereof.. i

In some instancesit" is desirable to utilize-end plugs fastened by a locked retainingring asbeare ingsaorbearing housingsgz. in: other:, cases; the locking screws-may extend only through the-end plug, the endflange being-connected to the end plug by separate means." Itis also within the purview of this invention to provideanend flange with an integral end plug where theloclringmeme bersserve no connecting function.

Preferred embodiments of the invention may entail a relatively large clearance-between the end plugs the inside of the spool barrel, in which case, only a relatively small portion of the. cross sectional retaining ringsor ringsegments will be within the barrel and'plug grooves. It is also intended that in some forms of the invention a considerable greater portion of "the cross section of the ring or ring segment be carried in the plug grooves than in the barrel grooves and vice versa.

- Thus it will be seen that the essence of the invention lies not in the precise details of construction, but rather in the novel retaining ring or ring segments, held by axially inserted looking members, with a portion of its cross section in each of two mated grooves in separate members, one of which is the barrel and the other is, in effect, the end flange, so that the end flanges of a textile spool are securely attached to its barrel with the utmost simplicity.

I claim as my invention:

1. A spool for textiles and the like comprising a barrel, an end plug fitting in said barrel, an internal groove in said barrel, an external groove in said plug mating with said barrel groove, a retaining member positioned in said mating grooves, and an axially inserted locking member positioned in abutment with said retaining member and locking said retaining member in said mating grooves whereby said plug is held against axial movement along said barrel.

2. A spool for textiles and the like comprising a barrel, an end plug fitting in said barrel, an internal groove in said barrel, an external groove in said plug mating with said barrel groove, a retaining member positioned in said mating grooves, and an axially inserted locking member positioned in said plug in abutment with said retaining member and locking said retaining member in said mating grooves whereby said plug is held against axial movement along said barrel.

3. A spool for textiles and the like comprising a barrel, an end plug fitting in said barrel, an end flange fitting at an end or" said barrel, an internal groove in said barrel, an external groove in said plug mating with said barrel groove, a retaining member positioned in said mating grooves, and an axially inserted locking member mounted in said flange and positioned in abutment with said retaining member and locking said retaining member in said mating grooves whereby said plug is held against axial movement along said barrel.

4;. A spool for textiles and the like comprising a barrel, an end plug fitting in'said barrel, an end flange fitting at an end of said barrel, an

6; internal groove in said barrel,,an external groovein said plug matingwith-saidi barrel groove; a.

retaining member positioned in said mating.

grooves, and an. axially insertedzlockingmember mounted inzsaid flange andinsaid plug and positioned in abutment with said: retaining memberand locking said retainin memberin said mating.

grooves whereby said plugzis held against, axial movement alongsaidbarrel. y, 1 .5. The spool set forth inclaim 1, wherein said retaining member comp-risesa bro en ring. 3 s. The: spool set forth: in c im; w ere nsa d retaining member, comprises a in lity; of ring segments.

7 The spool set iorthiin claim 1. whereinsaidof. split-0- ing' an unassembled' overall diameter substantiab.

ly equal to the end plugydiameteri 10. The spool set forth in claim 1 wherein said locking member is provided with a bevelled inner end portion adapted to cam said retaining member into position.

11. The spool set forth in claim 1 wherein said barrel groove has a depth of substantially onehalf the cross-sectional dimension of said retaining member and said plug groove has a depth of at least the cross-sectional dimension of said retaining member.

12. A spool for textiles and the like comprising a barrel, an end plug fitting in said barrel, an end flange fitting at an end of said barrel, a shallow internal annular groove in said barrel, a deep external annular groove in said plug matmg with said barrel groove, a retaining ring segment positioned in said mating grooves, and axially inserted locking members mounted in said flange and in said plug in abutment with said retaining ring segment and locking said segment in said mated grooves whereby said plug is held against axial movement along said barrel.

13. A spool for textiles and the like comprising a barrel, an end plug fitting said barrel, an end flange of substantially greater diameter than said barrel fitting at an end of said barrel, an internal peripheral groove in said barrel, an external peripheral groove in said plug mating with said barrel groove, a retaining member having a high shear strength positioned in said mating grooves, and a plurality of axially inserted screw threaded locking members mounted in said flange and plug and spaced slightly inward from the periphery of said plug out of contact with said barrel and positioned in abutment with said retaining member and locking said retaining member in said mating grooves, whereby said plug is held against axial movement along said barrel and said flange is held firmly against the end of said barrel.

14. The spool of claim 13 wherein said barrel groove has a depth of substantially one-half the cross-sectional dimension of said retaining member and said plug groove has a depth of at least the cross-sectional dimension of said retaining member.

15. The spool of claim 14 wherein the plug groove is positioned at substantially the center sctiorth: in. claim 1 wherein said portion of the plug and the axially inserted members extend substantially the entire length of said plug.

it. A spool for textiles and the like comprising a barrel, an end plug fitted in said barrel, an end flange of substantially greater diameter than said barrel fitting at an end of said barrel, an external peripheral groove positioned at substantially the center longitudinal portion of the plug, an internal peripheral groove in said barrel mating with said plug groove, a retaining memher in the form of a resilient broken ring having an unassembled outside diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said end plug having a high shear strength positioned in said mating grooves, said external groove in said plug having a depth of at least the thickness of said retaining member and the internal groove of said barrel having a depth of substantially one half the thickness of said retaining member, and a plurality of axially inserted screw threaded locking members mounted in said flange and plug and positioned in spaced relation slightly inward from the periphery of said plug out of contact with said barrel and positioned in abutment with said retaining member and locking said retaining member in said mating grooves, whereby said plug is held against axial movementalong said barrel and said flange is held firmly against the end of said barrel.

17. A spool for textiles and the like comprising a barrel, an end plug fitting in said barrel, an internal peripheral groove in said barrel, an external peripheral groove in said plug mating with said barrel groove, a retaining member positioned in said mating grooves, and a plurality of screw threaded axially inserted locking members positioned slightly inward 0f the periphery of said plug in spaced relation and out of contact with said barrel and in abutment with said retaining member and looking it in said mating grooves whereby said plug is held against axial movement along said barrel.

RICHARD L. FOOTE.

Name Date Riddell June 10, 1902 Number 

